Tuscan-Style Vegan White Bean and Kale Stew with Campfire Garlic Toast
Set a Dutch oven on a grate over medium coals or a stove on medium. Soften onion, carrot and celery, then stir in tomato paste, garlic, tomatoes, beans and broth. Simmer 20 minutes, add kale for 8 more, and serve with garlic toast grilled over the fire. Total time is about 50 minutes.
This is a thick, savory bean stew with plenty of garlic and a little heat. Half the beans get mashed into the broth, so it turns creamy with no dairy and no flour. It is cozy food for a cold evening and it comes together in one pot.
The garlic toast is the other half of the meal. You grill thick bread over the fire, rub it with raw garlic and drizzle it with olive oil. Dunk it in the stew. Most of the ingredients keep fine without ice, so it works for a long weekend.
Tuscan-Style Vegan White Bean and Kale Stew with Campfire Garlic Toast
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals under a grate, or medium stove flame
- Pack weight
- 5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler optional
- One burner
- Some water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
- Campfire grate or camp stove
- Long-handled wooden spoon
- Can opener
- Cutting board and knife
- Heat-proof gloves or pot grabber
- Ladle
- Bowls and spoons
Steps
-
Set up the heat
Let the fire burn down to medium coals and set a grate over them. Or light your stove to medium. Set the Dutch oven on the heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
-
Soften the vegetables
Add the onion, carrots and celery with a good pinch of salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and just turning golden.
-
Toast the paste
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, herbs and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until the paste darkens and smells sweet. Don't let the garlic burn.
-
Add beans and broth
Pour in the tomatoes, both cans of beans and the broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
-
Mash for body
Press the back of a sturdy spoon against about a third of the beans to crush them. The stew will thicken and turn creamy. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
-
Wilt the kale
Stir in the kale and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. Add the lemon juice, then taste and adjust salt and pepper.
-
Grill the toast
While the kale cooks, brush the bread on both sides with olive oil. Toast it on the grate 1 to 2 minutes per side, until crisp and marked. Rub one side of each slice with a cut garlic clove.
-
Serve hot
Ladle the stew into bowls and set a slice of toast on top or alongside. Cool leftovers quickly and keep them in the cooler.
Trail Notes
Dice the onion, carrots and celery at home and carry them in a zip bag. Keep them in the cooler for up to 2 days. Mince the garlic at home too and store it in a small jar.
Onions, carrots, celery, canned goods and shelf-stable broth all travel fine without ice. Kale holds for 2 to 3 days wrapped in a damp towel in a shaded spot. Eat leftovers that night or toss them, because cooked beans spoil fast when warm.
Use chard or spinach in place of kale. If you use spinach, add it in the last 2 minutes. Chickpeas or great northern beans work in place of cannellini.
Strain dishwater through a bandana or mesh to catch food bits, and pack those out with your trash. Scatter strained water at least 200 feet from streams, lakes and camp. Let the fire burn down to ash before you leave and make sure it is cold to the touch.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastCast-Iron Chili Mac Breakfast Skillet with Chorizo, Pinto Beans and Baked Eggs
LunchCampfire Ham and Swiss Foil-Packet Sliders
Snack or treatCampfire Foil Packet Baked Brie with Honey and Grilled BaguetteMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Can I make white bean and kale stew over a campfire?
Yes. Set a Dutch oven on a grate over medium coals, not open flames, so the bottom doesn't scorch. Stir every few minutes and move the pot to a cooler spot if it boils hard.
How do I keep leftover camp stew safe?
Cool it within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it is hot out. Store it in a sealed container in a cooler at 40°F or below. Reheat to 165°F and eat it within 2 days.
How do I make this stew thicker without flour?
Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon. The starch thickens the broth. Simmer a few extra minutes uncovered for an even thicker stew.
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